Peace: All the world's A Stage
by Sybil Corvax
Summary: He couldn't understand any of what she meant, but that was probably for the best. She knew what was coming. Slight MelloxPeace Oneshot. Best understood if you have read "Peace" first as it helps definitely. Not connected to the actual story, however.


**Trust me, I have no idea where this came from. I suppose you could say it contains slight spoilers (this isn't actually how I plan to end Peace :P but I've been dying to do a oneshot for like ages and this seemed to have worked) as it has L's true relation to Peace within the shortness of its existence. Oh, and the cool voice in her head actually has a name and you sorta get the idea of why he's hanging around. Sorta. If you're smart and can figure it out, awesomeness and I'll give you a cookie. I'll also list the names of the users who guessed right about the voice just because it's awesome. (I know, awesome is an awesome word. Blame Hetalia Axis Powers for my constant use of the word "awesome" because Prussia is awesome :P)**

_"All the World's a Stage" _**is a long speech made by Jaques from Shakespeare's** "As you Like it" **and is not property of me. But it sounded cool and it worked for this particular idea, so I used it.**

**I would love feedback on this. Don't hate me for what follows as it was just the creation of my screwed up head and I therefore cannot be at fault. **

**_Please Review 3_**

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_All the world's a stage,_

_And all the men and women are merely players: _

"What the hell are you- ?" Leila stared blankly at Mello as he continued to shout his profanity, unmoving from her position.

She just simply stood there in front of his tied up form, not able to say a single word in order to calm him down. Not that anything she could possibly say would do anything. She _had _knocked him out, after all, and then tied him up. Both him and Matt.

_They have their exits and their entrances;_

_And one man in his time plays many parts,_

_His acts being seven ages._

Mello growled at her impassive behaviour, not sounding much different than an angry dog. This wasn't like the Peace he knew at all. But, he hardly paid attention to that small little tidbit. He had more important things to do and more important things to worry about. In just a few hours, he needed to be prepared to kidnap that damned Takada woman and get his plan in motion. He and Matt hadn't the time to be tied up against their will.

"Damn it, Peace! What the hell - ?"

"…you'll see shortly." Her soft voice interrupted and the blonde fell silent in complete shock.

Peace sat herself down on the floor, crossed legged and her back pressed up against the wall. Her stormy grey eyes focused on the faces of both Mello and Matt.

_At first the infant,_

_Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms._

Leila could remember the simpler time, back at Wammy's, when the three friends had been completely inseparable. Both herself and Matt followed Mello's every whim, mostly without argument. Back then, it was wonderful to not have to think or second guess. Back then it was wonderful to just _do _whatever Mello wanted and if given the option, she would go back to that time. Not only would things be back as they should be, but L would still be alive and Kira would not exist.

Maybe things could have been prevented if they were given the ability to start all over.

She really, really wished that she could start over. Even if it meant returning to her lonely, oh so lonely infancy.

_And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel,_

_And shining morning face, creeping like snail_

_Unwillingly to school._

She didn't want to do this, but at the same time she really, truly did. It meant saving Mello, after all, and that meant everything to her.

Matt watched the silent girl, a light frown etched across his face as he tried to break free from the ropes which confined him.

_And then the lover,_

_Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad_

_Made to his mistress' eyebrow._

"Get on with it, Peace! What the hell are you up to? I have things I- !"

"I've always loved you, Mello." Mello's eyes went wide and his breathing came to an abrupt stop.

Peace, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed by her sudden confession of her affections. Her expression was unreadable, but there was still a flicker of _something _in her eyes.

_Yes, Leila. It's time._

"Even as a child, though at the time it was honestly more like an unstoppable admiration." She continued, not a waver in her voice.

The new courage she had found was pushing her forwards as she knew that she needed to do this. It was her only chance to finally break free of her confining emotions. Her one last final chance.

"I've always followed you out of love and for the years we have been by each other's side, you have always been on my mind. In all honestly, I even thought of you when I discovered that L's death was near." Matt glanced between the two of them, his eyes confused and note sure of what to make of this new development.

"Wh- what?" Mello's voice cracked, raspy and breathless as his crystal eyes flashed in confusion.

Peace gave a soft smile.

"I love you, Mello. So much that I would die for you."

_Then a soldier,_

_Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,_

_Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,_

It was when the young woman finally glanced to the old, creaky mahogany grandfather clock and forced herself to stand that Mello realized the truth behind her words.

"Peace! Don't you fucking dare!" He made an attempt to growl, but it was pathetic compared to his first success.

It sounded more like a hoarse whimper.

The dark haired woman who looked so much like his dear idol just watched him before she gave another one of her smiles. She looked so peaceful and relaxed. More so, Mello noted, than he had seen her in a very long time.

He didn't understand how she could act like this.

He didn't understand how admitting such a pointless thing could give her the courage to be so fucking stupid.

He just couldn't understand.

_Seeking the bubble reputation_

_Even in the cannon's mouth._

"Goodbye, Mello, Matt." Leila whispered, storm grey eyes soft and gentle - not even trying to see into their deepest thoughts and feelings.

"This is my stand. The one thing I can do to make sure that L, my brother, is avenged and Kira, Light-kun, is stopped."

_And Mello will live. _Eli told her softly as that was the main reason behind this revelation.

"Giving my life means that you'll live. That's how much I love you. I don't ever expect you to return my feelings and in all honesty, I never have. Besides, loving the dead is never a good thing." Mello lurched forwards a little, eyes wide.

He _wasn't _afraid, damn it! He just didn't need her death to be on his conscience! Especially if she was doing this because she loved him.

He apparently failed to notice that Matt was also tied up and despite Peace's confession of love, she meant to save him too.

"Damn it! Don't be such a fucking imbecile!"

"I'm not changing my mind." Peace said firmly, her smile still remaining.

"My life is but something small compared to the billions that can be saved." Her voice was still as soft as ever and still completely unwavering as it would have once been.

"Peace…" Matt suddenly spoke, obviously finding his voice at long last.

"…there's a chance you'll live, so don't talk like that." Both Mello and the young woman looked to him.

Mello's heart pounded.

Leila seemed to smile brighter.

"There's a ten percent chance that I'll live to see the end of this war." Ten percent…

Mello pondered that, really, really hard. He honestly had thought it was more than just ten percent. He should've known that it was only that much though when he calculated his own chances of survival. Obviously, he was more so the stupid one than Peace. Was that the reason Peace was doing this? Well, she had all but said so.

"Ugh! If you're so fucking serious about doing this, then at least take my rosary with you!" Mello surprised even himself with that one.

He never in his lifetime expected himself to say that to anybody. Especially not gentle Peace who was smarter than to get herself into life or death situations. She was better than him after all.

"A- at least that way God can protect you and bring you back."

_And then the justice,_

_In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,_

Leila could only stare at him.

"Mello, I can't do that. You know I-"

"You don't believe in God, but _I _do! Now take it, damn it!" Leila didn't argue.

_It's useless though… _Eli told her, but she didn't care enough to respond.

She just did as Mello told her, slipping the rosary from his neck and around her. It glittered beautifully against the red and black stripes of her shirt. After adjusting it, her storm grey eyes lifted up from the cross and briefly locked with Mello's, another light smile twitching at her lips.

"Mello…" She trailed off and turned her head away towards the door of the small room.

_We need to go. Now. Or else we'll never leave. _Eli told her softly, gently and obviously knowing of her torn emotional state.

Mello finally knew of her feelings, though seemed to ignore them for the most part. That was fine. Leila had only wanted him to know after all. It would have only been an added bonus if he returned her feelings.

She closed her eyes, her smile never faltered.

"…goodbye."

_With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,_

_Full of wise saws and modern instances;_

_And so he plays his part._

To watch _her _leave was a very different experience and neither Matt nor Mello could say that they liked it very much. For the longest time, it had always been the other way around after all.

Both were still slightly stunned by her unusually bold confessions of love and her willingness to die for said love. Mello was most affected, though, for obvious reasons.

Peace was willing to die for him because she loved him that much. She admired him to the extent that he had once admired L. Mello wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it.

But…the guilt was still there and for some reason, he knew it always would be.

_The sixth ages shifts_

_Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,_

_With spectacles on nose and pouch one side,_

"Are you going to be okay, Mels?"

"The question you _should _be asking is if _she'll _be okay." Mello managed, his voice quiet.

Brief silence.

"…you didn't know how much she cared…did you?"

"Shut up, Matt. We need to get free from these fucking ropes." The main reason Mello changed the subject was because Matt made the mistake of using "cared" instead of "cares".

Damn it, she wasn't dead and she damn well wasn't going to die either.

_His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide_

_For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,_

The stolen motorcycle raced through the darkened streets of Tokyo, Leila's haired twisting and whipping behind her. She wore a black mask, not much unlike the one of Zorro, but she donned no helmet as she had given that to her hostage.

"Where are you taking me?" Takada shouted at her unknown captor, though much too afraid to actually demand to be let free.

_Soon, Leila. _Eli whispered to her.

The new L remained silent.

_Turning toward childish treble, pipes_

_And whistles in his sound._

She didn't speak at all, attempting to focus entirely on her task instead of on anything else. Eli helped to keep her on track and it was only when the captor and the captive attired at the abandoned church did Leila say a single word.

"Go ahead, call Light and tell him everything." She whispered, eyes focusing into her captive's.

This time, she completely dropped the suffix from Light Yagami's name. For the first time since she had added it.

Takada's eyes were wide, obviously surprised by her kidnapper's obvious knowledge. Seeing this spark of surprise and shock, Leila felt her lips twitch and she continued.

"By the way, my name is Leila Lawliet. L-E-I-L-A L-A-W-L-I-E-T." And for the girl to willingly give her own name?

Takada looked like she herself was going to have a heart attack.

How did this strange teenage girl know of the plans she had to call Light-kun? Takada knew that it didn't matter and that what mattered was to follow the rules Light-kun had set before her. Obviously, this girl was looking to die anyway. She had to be if she was willingly giving out such information.

Takada wasn't smart enough to make the connection that Leila knew something that she obviously did not, Leila mused as she pulled her mask from her face.

Pale skin became visible and her stormy grey eyes flashed when they caught her reflection in a broken piece of glass. For a brief moment, Leila didn't even see herself. She saw her brother. Well, her _half brother_, L.

She couldn't help, but smile.

This was the plan. L's plan.

_Last scene of all,_

_That ends this strange eventful history,_

The pain in her chest was unbelievable, but somehow Leila smiled through it. After all, though she wished things could be different, she regretted nothing.

To die by the notebook to save Mello's life? In her eyes, that was a valiant death worthy of heaven if there was one. Which she didn't believe in anyway. But that was okay…even if there was nowhere to go after these last few moments, things would work out alright. Maybe she could be like her big brother and become a ghost. Yes…

As she collapsed to the hard, rotten wooden floor of the church, the girl who didn't believe in God used her energy - which should have been used to fight death - to grasp the rosary around her neck. The rosary given to her by Mello. Oh…precious Mello. Brave Mello…

She glanced up, blood trickling rivulets from the corner of her mouth and in her bleary vision caught sight of a pale figure in the doorway that which she was facing. In her ears, she heard the tolling of church bells. Grey locked with grey and her thin, weak fingers gripped the rosary tighter as the taller paler figure watched her.

_Pray. _Eli ushered her, his voice sounding much too distant.

Pray?

And for the first and last time of her life, she prayed. She was only vaguely aware of the billowing, dark smoke beginning to filling up the mouldy old church. Her eyes were much too focused on the ghostly figure in the doorway, framed by the flames. Her ears were much too honed in on the beautiful sound of chiming church bells.

But she still prayed. Not for herself, no, why would she do that? She knew she was going to die and she didn't care where she ended up as long as she got to be with her big brother. As long as she was able to watch Mello live his life with his best friend Matt beside him.

Leila knew that Mello always liked Matt best anyway. It made more sense for the two of them to live on whilst she was the one to die. It seemed that it was destiny for her family anyway.

So, instead of praying for herself, she prayed for Mello and Matt. No, _Mihael Kheel _and _Mail Jeevas_ to live happy, happy lives without her.

Then, as her eyes slipped shut, she smiled. The ghost smiled. The bells stopped ringing.

Leila Lawliet smiled one last peaceful beautiful smile before the flames swallowed both her and the body of Kiyomi Takada whole.

_Is second childishness and mere oblivion,_

Rain pounded the muddy earth and sloppy sets of footsteps could be heard slipping and sliding though it. Sometimes, there was the sound of a body hitting the ground and another helping it back up. They weren't focused enough on themselves to keep that from happening, anyway.

Mello ran, blue eyes wide as he took in the scene of the burning church and Matt followed closely behind. Both were decorated with caked, wet mud all over their clothing. Not that they cared.

They skidded to an immediate halt the second reality hit them. Peace- no, _Leila _was in there. In that burning church. Burning _church_. O- oh God please let her be alive…

But, deep down, Mello and Matt both knew the truth. They knew it front and back and from side to side and right-side-up and up-side-down. They knew it just because she had said one simple little word.

"…_goodbye." _And it was when Mello heard the echo of her final word in his mind's memory that he broke.

For the second time in his life. The first being when L died. Now when Leila died. Leila. Peace. The _new _L. For him. She had died for _him _of all people. And it was just a bonus to her that because of this that damned Light Yagami would be brought down too.

Mello collapsed to his knees, tears being forced from his eyes and mixed with the rain and the mud. His entire body quivered, his hands grasping at the horribly muddy ground for dear life, but were unable to hold on.

This…wasn't right. No. No! Leila…Peace…L…she couldn't be dead!

And he screamed with all his might, up at the heavens. He cursed God for taking just one more of his precious people. First his father. Then his mother. Then _L. Now _Leila too? What did she do to deserve this? He had even given her his rosary to protect her…

Mello stopped believing in God that day and the only way Matt could convince him to not do something so rash as to kill someone - possibly himself - was promise him the aspect of being able to finish what L and Leila would not be able to.

Watching Kira go down in flames.

_**"Goodbye can have one of two meanings. One: you will not see another person for a long period of time, or two: you will ne**__**ver see each other again."**_

_Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything._

_**.**_

_**..**_

**…**

_"Leila, we must go."_

_"Do we really have to, L?"_

_"Yes. Kira is gone and in retrospect, so is Light-kun. We can no longer remain."_

_"…Light-kun…he won't be where we're going, will he?"_

_"No, Leila."_

_"Eli, will Mihael be able to go where we're going?"_

_"I think so."_

_"That's good. I can't wait to see him again. Then he'll know that he was wrong about goodbye."_

"_**We don't really know what happens after the seven stages come to an end. For all we know, there's an eighth stage after the seventh. The beautiful angel dressed in white with beautiful blonde hair and wings."**_

All the world's a stage


End file.
